Former Bandidos vice president Justin Rasmussen found guilty of grievous bodily harm over Carlisle pole attack

The former vice-president of the Bandidos bikie gang is behind bars after being convicted over a vicious metal pole attack that left a man partially blind — despite trying to lay the blame on the gang’s ex-chief. Justin Barry Theodore Rasmussen stood trial in WA’s District Court accused of swinging a carjack at Terrence Carpenter’s head outside his Calista home in 2016, leaving him almost completely blind in his left eye. Rasmussen claimed Mr Carpenter was drunk, aggressive and was the one swinging the pole — and he initially told police he may have unintentionally pushed the weapon while trying to disarm him in defence of himself and his mate Shane Lehman. But when the 49-year-old took the stand — the trial evolved into a “who dunnit?”. Rasmussen claimed he lied to police and instead said he believed Lehman — the then president of the Bandidos’ WA chapter and the second-in-charge in the country — was wielding a machete and inflicted the horror injuries. He told the jury he could now tell the truth because Lehman — who he had not spoken to since 2018 — had been booted out of the Rebels bikie gang just weeks ago and they no longer had his back. It took three hours of deliberations on Monday for a jury to reject Rasmussen’s version of events and find him guilty of causing grievous bodily harm. Mr Carpenter and his friends were kicking on after a wine tour for his birthday and Rasmussen — a stranger to most at the party — was invited by the victim’s sister, who was dating the bikie at the time. There was a brief argument between one of the party-goers and Rasmussen, which he said erupted after a friend of Mr Carpenter’s asked about his “intentions” with the sister and if she would be “owned” by the club. “He said ‘do not f... her up or I’ll f... you up’,” Mr Rasmussen told police, prompting him to stand up and remark “have a f...ing go then’.” Rasmussen told police that Mr Carpenter then became “extremely aggressive” and he planned to leave, but first phoned Lehman as a “deterrent”, telling him he was being threatened by a group of men. When Lehman arrived, the court was told the party goers bolted. It was the prosecution case that Mr Carpenter did at one stage grab the pole after hearing Rasmussen’s phone call, fearing bikies were about to “run through” the home, which had women and a child inside. But Mr Davidson said Mr Carpenter “very quickly” dropped the pole as Lehman ran at him with the machete, grabbed his shirt and began punching him repeatedly. “You may find Terrence brave for bringing the pole out. You might also find him stupid and I’d agree with you on both of those circumstances,” prosecutor David Davidson said. “But it was certainly not unlawful.” Mr Davidson said there was no threat when Rasmussen picked up the pole and whacked Mr Carpenter three times — to the leg, body and finally, his head — causing him to drop unconscious to the road. The victim was left almost completely blind in his left eye. Mr Davidson said the jury could “have no doubt it was Justin Rasmussen” and that his claims he was lying to police to protect Lehman were lies. “He’s not a newbie to the Bandidos. He’s the vice-president. He’s number two. He’s right up there,” he said. “So quite easily, (he could have said) ‘Shane, nah nah nah, I’m saying nothing to the cops — it’s a matter for you’. “But ... he tried to make out like he’s a puppet to Shane and he’s got no control. Yet he rings Shane on a Saturday night (and says) ‘mate come here now, and what does he do — he comes’.” However, Rasmussen said he was called to a meeting between Lehman and the gang’s then sergeant-at-arms where they discussed what would be said about the attack or else there would be “ramifications”. Rasmussen said he lied in his police interview and in two prison calls because he knew they were recorded and Lehman’s lawyers and the Bandidos’ national president would get hold of them. It is understood the Perth chapter of the gang was patched over by the Rebels in 2017. “The way I put it, I said ... I can’t remember and whatever Shane did it was nothing to do with me. My whole intention was to create confusion and to let a jury decide,” Mr Rasmussen said. “We went through the scenario when I was back at Shane’s about what I had to say. I was trying to make it as convincing as I could. “At the same time ... I was trying not to say Shane was responsible but not to admit to it. “So that the onus of the burden of proof was for the prosecutors to prove, not to be responsible for the state president ... to do seven years because it’s his second grievous bodily harm. “I believe Shane did it, but I didn’t see the impact.” Rasmussen, an ex-army man, admitted he was trained to kill — but also trained in combat — and would not be prepared to use a pole in a fight and potentially kill someone. Defence lawyer Justine Fisher pointed to inconsistencies in witness accounts and claimed given the positioning of those involved, Rasmussen had to a “Jedi knight and have superpowers to effect that injury”. Judge John Staude remanded Rasmussen, who was on bail, in custody given the serious nature of his crime and the inevitability he would receive an immediate jail term. Rasmussen shook his head when the verdict was delivered. He is due to be sentenced in March.